Clinical trial Recruiting at 1 site Phase 4 Interventional Ages 30 to 70

Effects of Pioglitazone on Heart Failure in Obese Type 2 Diabetics

Official title: Pioglitazone, Lipotoxicity, and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction (HFpEF)

Run by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio · NCT05838287 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This study is testing if the diabetes drug Pioglitazone can help improve heart function in obese people with type 2 diabetes and heart failure.

More Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction trials

Quick facts

PhasePhase 4
Study typeInterventional
Ages30 Years to 70 Years
SexAll
Enrollment78 (estimated)
SponsorThe University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Academic / other
Locations1 site (San Antonio, Texas)
StatusRecruiting
StartedJuly 10, 2023
Main results expectedAugust 2029
Study endsJanuary 2030
Registry record updatedSeptember 22, 2026
Trial IDNCT05838287 on ClinicalTrials.gov

Is this trial a fit for you?

Likely a good fit

Ideal candidates are obese individuals aged 30-70 with type 2 diabetes and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

Probably not a fit

Patients with heart failure not classified as NYHA class II-III or those with contraindications to Pioglitazone may not benefit from this study.

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This study investigates the effects of the diabetes medication Pioglitazone on heart function in obese participants with type 2 diabetes and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Participants will be randomized to receive either Pioglitazone or a placebo, and various measures such as myocardial blood flow, insulin sensitivity, and heart function will be assessed. The study aims to demonstrate that Pioglitazone can improve heart function by enhancing insulin sensitivity and reducing fat content in the heart. The research will also explore the role of mitochondrial function in the development of HFpEF in this population.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this study could provide a new treatment option to improve heart function in obese patients with type 2 diabetes and heart failure.

How similar studies have gone: Other studies have shown promising results with similar approaches, but this specific application of Pioglitazone in this population is novel.

Who can join: the full rules

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

1. Provision of signed and dated informed consent form
2. Stated willingness to comply with all study procedures and availability for the duration of the study
3. Male or female, aged 30-70 years
4. Body Mass Index (BMI) of 27.5-40kg/m²
5. HbA1c of 6.5 to 10%
6. Blood pressure of less than or equal to 145/65mmHg
7. eGFR greater than 45 ml/min/1.73m²
8. Subject must have HFpEF (EF \> 50% by ECHO screening)
9. NYHA class II-III heart failure
10. Only T2D patients treated with diet/exercise, metformin, sulfonylurea, metformin/SU, DPP4i or insulin will be studied.
11. For females of reproductive potential: use of highly effective contraception for at least 1 month prior to screening and agreement to use such a method during study participation and for an additional \[4 weeks\] after the end of study participation.
12. For males of reproductive potential: use of condoms or other methods to ensure effective contraception with partner.

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Subjects with history of osteoporosis or proliferative diabetic retinopathy
2. Subjects with Heart failure due to restrictive or infiltrative cardiomyopathy, active myocarditis, constrictive pericarditis, severe valvular heart disease, etc. will be excluded
3. Patients with symptomatic coronary artery disease.
4. Subjects with significant change in diuretic management during the month prior to screening (defined by doubling of diuretic dose, or addition of another HF medication).
5. Subjects treated with a GLP-1 RA or thiazolidinedione.
6. Subjects treated with a SGLT2i
7. Pregnancy or lactation
8. Known allergic reactions to components of the study interventions.
9. Any metal plates, parts, screws, shrapnel, pins in body, or cardiac (heart) pacemaker

Where it's running

  • Texas Diabetes Institute/UH
    San Antonio, Texas, United States
    Recruiting

Study contacts

Similar studies

Other studies for the same condition or treatment. Recruiting studies are listed first.

  • Remote rehabilitation for HFpEF patients using telerehabilitation

    A home-based telerehabilitation program is being tested to see if it is safe and helpful for people with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

    Recruiting at 3 sites American Heart of Poland · Chrzanów and 2 other locations · NCT07918209

  • EDG-15400 in adults with HFpEF: a phase 2 study

    This phase 2 study tests different doses of EDG-15400 against placebo in adults with HFpEF to see if it is safe and tolerable.

    Recruiting at 4 sites Phase 2 Edgewise Therapeutics, Inc. · Birmingham, Alabama and 27 other locations · NCT07795814

  • Incretin therapy with tirzepatide for obesity-related HFpEF

    A 15-month study will test whether tirzepatide helps people with obesity and HFpEF by reducing plasma volume.

    Recruiting Phase 4 Columbia University · New York, New York · NCT07554638

  • Boosted exercise with group coaching for HFpEF

    This trial tests a blended, guided exercise program with group coaching and remote monitoring to see if it helps older adults with HFpEF improve activity and health at a lower cost.

    Recruiting Wake Forest University Health Sciences · Winston-Salem, North Carolina · NCT07413198

  • Exercise cardiac MRI for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

    This study will try low-field exercise cardiac MRI to see if it can diagnose, describe, and predict risk in people with HFpEF compared with those who have non-cardiac breathlessness and healthy volunteers.

    Recruiting Mayo Clinic · Rochester, Minnesota · NCT07401771

  • HRS-1893 for heart failure with preserved ejection fraction

    This trial will test whether HRS-1893 is safe and tolerable in adults aged 40 and older who have heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

    Recruiting Phase 2 Shandong Suncadia Medicine Co., Ltd. · Shanghai, Shanghai Municipality · NCT07269717

How to take part

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.